Internet adoption as a two-stage transition - Converting internet non-users to internet users and to online buyers

Identifying the Internet Non-User (INTU), Internet User (IU) and Online Buyer (OB) is important for marketers to enable appropriate target marketing, distribution, advertising and customer service. Such identification is also critical to public policy makers desirous of reducing the digital divide. Despite the criticality of identifying the INU, IU and OB, research in marketing on the internet has not focused on the associated problem of identifying the determinants of the three categories. This research offers a conceptual model, based on innovation diffusion theory, for identifying the individuals in each of the three categories on the basis of innovativeness, internet use and online trust. Demographic variables and availability of home computer are other factors used to theoretically predict membership of INU, IU and OB. Implications for practice, public policy and research are drawn.